Epistemological foundations of traditional native education according to Algonquian elders.

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to define traditional Native education for three Algonquian speaking nations using ethnographic skills of cognitive anthropology. An understanding of traditional Native education from a First Nations' perspective through dialogue using individual audio-taped interviews and an audio-taped group consensus-building dialogue is provided. The Algonquian elders involved are from the Algonquin, Cree and Ojibway Nations. Ten case studies and a group consensus-building conversation with elders constitutes this study. Each case study contains an individual audio-taped dialogue transcription with contextual remarks. The audio-taped dialogues and group consensus-building conversation are transcribed and analyzed using verbal protocol techniques. The emergent themes across the interviews and group consensus-building dialogue are analyzed and the findings tabulated. Six female elders and four male elders whose ages cover a fifty year age span, is the composition of the ten case studies. Nine elders, two women and seven men make up the membership of the group dialogue. Some of the participating elders conveyed their thoughts using the assistance of a translator. Consensus emerges across the individual dialogues and group interview. Elders tell of the existence of a different epistemology for Algonquian speakers that originates in the circle of life and is represented by the medicine wheel. In the cosmology of the circle each person is a whole world and a member of the larger circles of life; the family, the community, the world and the universe. According to the elders the concept of traditional Native education and the process of traditional Native education are embedded in the medicine wheel. Traditional Native education includes learning the Algonquian customs, traditions, values and beliefs and languages. Traditional Native education is the process of acquiring a First Nation identity. The importance of the land to all First Nations People is a recurring theme across all the dialogues. Elders disclose that the land holds knowledge and wisdom, and that it is capable of offering direction. They also iterate the interconnectivity of all of life in the recorded dialogues. No apparent difference in the thought patterns of the contributing Algonquian elders to this study is evident. This study has implications for First Nations' education in particular and for education in general. First, it gives direction to educators involved in educating First Nations children pointing out the need to provide traditional Native education and delineating the components of such an education. Second, it indicates that different epistemologies exist for First Nation Peoples and non-First Nations People and suggests ways of bridging the cultural differences to encourage understanding amongst all people. Third, it offers direction to educators involved in developing cross-cultural education programs.